Video conferencing bill would cut government travel by $15 billion

Monday, July 15 2013

More and more, government spending has come under scrutiny, and legislators have been trying to find ways to reduce overhead expenses. With the budget deficit and uncertain market growth, it's critical that federal agencies develop long-term plans to curb mounting debt without negatively impacting government agencies.

Representative Michael Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) presented the legislation, which requires the Office of Management and Budget to slash federal travel spending by 50 percent by 2017. The proposal includes recommendations for the use of video conferencing as a resource to improve productivity without raising overhead expenses. Cindy Auten, general manager of Mobile Work Exchange, believes that the proposal is a step in the right direction.

"The bill addresses two critical areas for the government - leveraging technology to reduce costs and working smarter overall. Leveraging the right technology can save agencies time and money," Auten said.